Inner ear decompression sickness after a routine dive and recompression chamber drill.

Inner ear decompression sickness (IEDCS) is an uncommon diving-related injury affecting the vestibulocochlear system, with symptoms typically including vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, either in isolation or combination. Classically associated with deep, mixed-gas diving, more recent case series have shown that IEDCS is indeed possible after seemingly innocuous recreational dives, and there has been one previous report of IEDCS following routine hyperbaric chamber operations. The presence of right-to-left shunt (RLS), dehydration, and increases in intrathoracic pressure have been identified as risk factors for IEDCS, and previous studies have shown a predominance of vestibular rather than cochlear symptoms, with a preference for lateralization to the right side. Most importantly, rapid identification and initiation of recompression treatment are critical to preventing long-term or permanent inner ear deficits. This case of a U.S. Navy (USN) diver with previously unidentified RLS reemphasizes the potential for IEDCS following uncomplicated diving and recompression chamber operations - only the second reported instance of the latter.

Recurrent facial nerve baroparesis in a military diver: a case report.

Middle ear barotrauma is common in diving. However, facial nerve baroparesis is a relatively rare complication. A dehiscent facial nerve canal may be a predisposing factor to developing this complication. Although there is an increasing number of facial baroparesis cases in the literature, they are likely still under-reported. In order to avoid unnecessary recompression treatments or detrimental effects to a professional diver's career, it is important to consider this in the differential diagnosis while evaluating dive injuries. This case report describes recurrent facial baroparesis in a military diver, which manifested on contralateral sides of his face. His initial presentation was misdiagnosed as an arterial gas embolism, which led to recompression treatment and a cardiac procedure. Upon recurrence about one year later, a complete work-up was done, which included an ENT evaluation and a CT scan. Imaging demonstrated a predisposing anatomic variant bilaterally. His symptoms resolved quickly and spontaneously both times, and he has been able to return to diving.

Wandering spleen and its complications in children: a case series and review of the literature.

Wandering spleen is an uncommon clinical entity, which rarely affects children and adolescents. It is usually described in adults, especially women of childbearing age. Discussion in the literature has been limited to case reports and small case series. Here the authors present 2 children and 1 adolescent that presented to the authors institution over a 9-month period with complications from a wandering spleen. All 3 patients had very different clinical presentations, and this variety is a constant theme throughout the literature. We also identified an additional 127 cases of wandering spleen in patients younger than 21 years. In this report we discuss the clinical presentations, diagnostic evaluation, treatment options, and clinical outcomes as they relate to wandering spleen.